Chapter Text
The sudden reappearance of one Galen Erso sent ripples through the magic community that would remain for many months to come. The night of his rescue, he'd been taken to Baze and Chirrut's home and cared for under the watchful eyes of the witches and their access to a wide variety of healing plants. Cassian, Bodhi, Jyn, and Kay all ended up staying the night at the Malbus-Îmwe home. After they'd tended each others wounds, they'd all more or less collapsed together in one of the guest rooms, not really caring that the bed wasn't really big enough for three human adults and a shadow imp, but even Kay craved the comfort that physical contact between them brought that night.
Thanks to Bodhi and Chirrut's knowledge of medicinal magic plants and healing, no injuries the rescuers suffered would be lasting. There were bruises and burns that would take a few days to heal, but nothing that would cause permanent damage. Bodhi informed Jyn she was rather lucky the blast from Krennic hadn't done more lasting damage to her arm, in a tone filled both with worry and minor lecture. The Cait Sith's flinch had quickly been swallowed by a hug from her witch. Watching them interact, Kay and Cassian had no doubt that would end up being a permanent witch-familiar bond.
Galen Erso's condition was a bit more serious. The death of a familiar or witch severely weakened the other member of the bond, and the fact that Galen had been held captive and forced to work for months after the death of his familiar, constantly taunted by her well preserved body, had taken its tole on the witch. Baze told both Galen and Jyn bluntly it would be several months if not a year or more before Galen recovered from Lah'mu's death, and even then, it might effect his magic in the future. He still retained his ability to perform spells and the like, but his ability had been weakened.
Galen told his daughter softly he had no desire to ever return to a position of power on the Council. He preferred to avoid it completely, but with what he'd learned from Krennic's ranting, he knew he could not sit idle.
That brought to mind a greater concern they all had. Krennic had found backing from someone, not all his followers had been local. Somewhere, there was a bigger fish that pulled strings and was encouraging a war between the magical and the mundane. Their first night was spent resting and recuperating, but they all knew that they would have to face the council, and others with what this all meant, especially if they were going to have a chance of saving their world from the Superiorists.
Krennic's sudden disappearance sent a wave of panic through the local council, people wondering where the Head Councilor had gone and why suddenly some members of his support team had vanished too. Was it Erso's disappearance all over again?
Cassian and Kay took it upon themselves the following night to sneak into Krennic's home and find what they could about his plans. Someone had been there before them, but there were some small items, notes and two books, that had been missed in someone's hasty departure. Cassian secreted these items away and met again with with Galen, Jyn, Bodhi, Baze, and Chirrut. Then he sent a message to Draven.
The old witch didn't seem surprised when he was quietly called to a meeting at Baze and Chirrut's home, nor did he seem entirely shocked to find that Galen Erso was alive. "Krennic was pushing too hard to just want to kill you, Erso," he told the other man. "I just couldn't find any signs of where he'd taken you. Seems your daughter, Andor, and Rook took care of that though." Then holding a mug of tea from Baze, he sat and listened to everything that Galen Erso could tell him about what Krennic was planning, from the original rod he'd forced Galen to craft that held the power to destroy a town when activated, to his mutterings and the few meetings Galen overheard where Krennic was meeting with followers, or other members of the Superiorist movement. They were planning something big, he knew, but where and when he did not know. Krennic had sent the plans for the rod to someone, but the actual rod that Galen had been tortured into creating had been destroyed at least.
Draven looked grim when the other witch finished. "To some people, it won't matter that you were tortured, Erso," he said in his blunt way. "They'll accuse you of helping Krennic." He sighed heavily. "And that there are plans out there for this thing concerns me. But we need to deal with the local council first, see what help we can get here. There are enough people who didn't trust Krennic that here at least I think we can root out his followers. You'll need to testify before them. Then if Mothma can get in touch with Obi Wan, we can see what help we can find beyond our own town, and who else might be out there, ready to fight the Superiorists."
"The Council's going to try and tear my father apart," Jyn snapped. "He's already lost his familiar and been tortured for the past almost six months. What more can you ask of him."
Draven regarded her steadily. "I am well aware of what the council may try and do, Jyn Erso, I'm on it. What your father has to say is damning for both Krennic and himself, but if we can emphasize that he did none of it willingly, and the torture that he endured, it will help." He clasped his hands together. "I've another suggestion. You won't like it, but I think it will help him the best."
"What do you suggest?" Cassian quickly interjected before Jyn could go off again.
"Truth spells," Draven replied. "They're draining in the individual in question, and normally I wouldn't suggest it given Erso's current state, but I think in this case it may be necessary."
Jyn flinched and moved closer to her father on the couch. Erso murmured softly to his daughter. "Stardust, I hate this as much as you, but I believe Councilor Draven is right. And you and your witch will be there, as well as Baze and Chirrut. It will be taxing on me, but you all can help me recover afterwards."
"It isn't ideal, but I think it is our best shot," Baze rumbled. "And your father will be staying here with us, Jyn, so you know he has access to decent care and a safe place to recover. And you know you can visit whenever you wish."
Jyn sighed, and turned her face into her father's shoulder as she'd gone last when she was a small child. "I'm glad you're safe, Papa, and I worry about you...but I know this coming war is bigger than any of us."
"Mon Mothma and I will be there to give support to your father as well," Draven told her. "We will not let him be held responsible for what Krennic did." Him grimaced. "If nothing else, the death of his familiar would be punishment enough in the eyes of most."
Draven left shortly after that. In the sudden vacuum created by Krennic's death, he and Mothma were working fast to ensure that one of Krennic's followers or one of the other Superiorists didn't get elected to Head Council again.
The past few days had been incredibly wearing on all involved, and as Galen felt himself begin to flag and the need for sleep again starting to overcome him, he told his daughter firmly, "Go home with your Witch Rook, and Andor and Kay. Get some rest, Stardust. We will have plenty of time to talk later."
With some reluctance, Jyn let Bodhi and Cassian lead her back to their house, a place she was already starting to think of as home.
~~~
The coming days seemed like complete chaos to Jyn. Almost a week after his rescue, her father stood before the Witches Council and testified, under some of the strongest truth spells Jyn had ever seen, about the nature of his kidnapping, imprisonment, and torture at the hands of one Orson Krennic. As Draven predicted, there were a few vocal detractors who insisted Erso be held responsible for some of it, and a few more who weren't quite willing to trust him entirely, but none of them could actually circumvent the evidence that Cassian had found in Krennic's home or Galen's testimony under truth spell. In the end, Mon Mothma was declared Head Councilor for the time being. She and Draven had already begun the steps of reaching out to others beyond their own town along trusted channels, quietly preparing for the war they all knew was coming against the Superiorists.
They also quietly watched for those who had supported Krennic, and for the Superiorists in general.
Late that night, Jyn lay on the loveseat in Bodhi and Cassian's living room, staring up at the ceiling tiredly as Cassian and Bodhi collapsed onto the couch, all too weary to move much right now. She knew her father was safe back at Baze and Chirrut's home, and now they had to begin thinking about how all of this would effect their future. She already knew going back to Saw wasn't an option. She knew the old man would help where he could against the Superiorists, but she couldn't go back into hiding that deeply anymore. She had to taken an active role in all of this.
Kay lay half asleep curled on Jyn's chest in a ball of shadow imp, tail and wings wrapped firmly around himself. She smiled faintly at the sarcastic imp familiar. She'd grown rather used to working with him over the past few weeks, and the two of them meshed well together. She closed her eyes for a moment and felt the witch-familiar bond between her and Bodhi thrumming between them. Technically it was new enough it could still be broken without seriously harming either of them, but..
"So we're going to help in all of this right?" Jyn voiced the question to Cassian and Bodhi.
Cassian arched a brow, half sitting up at her question. "I sort of thought that it was a given Bodhi and I were involved. This is our home after all."
"Well if Bodhi's involved, I'm involved," Jyn replied. "I am his familiar after all."
Bodhi sat forward, regarding her seriously, and hopefully. "So we're doing this then?" he asked.
"Have either of us given any indication we want to break the bond, Bodhi?" she snarked.
"Anyone with eyes could tell you wouldn't break the bond," Kay muttered sleepily from her chest. "Anyone with eyes can also see that you and Cassian are attracted to each other and realy should go out on a date. You all are rather loud and I'm trying to sleep here."
Jyn flushed a bit, and Cassian blinked, while Bodhi let a smirk flicker over his lips. He rolled to his feet. "Come on, Kay, you and I will get something to eat then head to bed," he told the shadow him. "Jyn and Cassian can figure the rest out on their own." He held his arm out to the shadow imp as he reached the loveseat and stood beside Jyn. Lazily Kay slipped up Bodhi's arm and settled himself on the witch's shoulder, then the two disappeared briefly into the kitchen, and Jyn could hear them more back towards the bedrooms a few minutes later.
Cassian still hadn't moved from the couch, watching Jyn both warily, and hopefully, from where he sat. Jyn rose and stalked cat-wise across the distance, then settled herself on the couch, taking the liberty of resting her head in Cassian's lap as she sprawled on the sofa cushions. Cassian couldn't resist stroking his fingers through her hair and behind her ears, and she purred contently.
"You going to ask me on that date, or do I have to ask you?" Jyn said after a few minutes, leaning into Cassian's stroking hands. Cassian paused a moment and considered her, then felt her shift as she settled herself more in his lap, her face even with his.
"Yes Jyn," he replied as he dipped his lips slightly to press them against her own. "I'm asking you on a date."
"Mm, good," she purred. "Then I accept."